Someone Better
by Vox Populi
Summary: Toph finds out that she isn't the best earth bender in the world anymore. How does she cope, and what does she do? Implied Tokka. Post-war. TOPH!
1. Chapter 1

**Someone Better:**

**Toph**

**[[[[[ INTRO ]]]]]**

**When it comes to take account the actions that transgress in the past, one finds it hard to take in account how the past effects the future. I have spent deep nights into the twilight hours reading by candle light, rifling through old libraries, scroll after scroll. Scanning, gathering, recording, but most importantly, writing. I have followed the passage of one woman, an earth bender so aptly named, Toph. By the tender age of thirteen she has taught the Avatar, and helped end the 100 Year War. By circumstance Toph found herself to be the only 'known' metal bender in the world, so with confidence she proclaimed herself to be 'The Best Earth Bender In The World'. Of course we all know this old war story that has been retold and retold taking in multiple accounts retelling the story in different ways and matters, but what of her master? Did she have a master, would be the next question to ask, and in short, she did and she did not. To answer the latter of the answers, Toph taught herself how to earth bend. To answer the former is where my research comes into play. As Toph aged, and her skills began to dull, rumors started to spread of a new younger, better earth bender, with much more control over his element than Toph had ever experienced. From my research I have gathered a name of our prodigy, Rajah, and I have deduced he is about the age of sixteen, two years younger than Toph. **

** That was the last seed of knowledge my otherwise fruitless research provided. Stifled with the utmost curiosity, I sought after Toph, who isn't that hard to find as she holds a throne of honor on the Earth King's Court. A remarkable story of love, hardship, trial, perseverance, courage, and triumph unfolded before me. After filling my thirst of my curiosity, I returned to my study and began to write down the story, attempting to catch every stifled breath, ache, laugh, smile, joke, trial, triumph, pain, cut, scrap, literally everything Toph so easily told as a great epic of trial and error. We start where every story starts, the beginning, and we find our Toph now turned eight-teen in her hometown of Gaoling. I'll see you at the end of this great journey.**

**[[ I ]]**

** "Well, the party was a huge success, what do you think?"**

** "I dunno mom, I didn't get to see him tonight."**

** "Oh, pish posh, if he didn't try to see you tonight, then he doesn't deserve you."**

** "I know, but ... I wished he did try."**

** "Toph," Poppy now extended her arm to fall upon her daughter's shoulder, "it's late, why don't you go to bed, I'll finish the dishes."**

** Toph's thoughts were on the ever playing fantasy in her head; however, she still acknowledged her mother's command and dragged herself to her bedroom unaided. In the bedroom, she dressed for the night, a lace nightgown draped over her frame, and she heard a tapping at the window as she laid down in her bed. She turned her back to the window in an attempt to ignore the rapping at her window.**

** "Toph." said he, "Wake up!" in a distinct but projected whisper.**

** Toph opened her useless eyes in glee, that very voice can sooth her very essence, and she ****retreated to her window, and pulled it ajar. **

** "Sokka!" she implored, "Do you know what time it is!" keeping her voice from raising from a whisper.**

** "I tried to make the party, but I got caught up in Omashu. Happy birthday." he explained as he reached behind his person to show her present, "I kinda got you a little something."**

** Toph raced down to meet her Romeo, and to her present. She gave him a quick hug in the dew heavy grass, as a longer hug would keep her from her present. He opened it for her, and produced two diamond studded earrings. He helped her put them on her earlobes, and they twinkled in the moonlight. Toph's lips were set into a smile as she felt the balanced weight of her new accessory. **

** "Sokka, they are beautiful."**

** "They are even more beautiful if you could see them."**

** "Sokka," she said placing a timid palm on his cheek, "I don't need to see them to love them."**

** "I should go." he turned rather too abruptly, brushing her hand off his face. **

** With much reluctance she replied, "... all right ..."**

** "I'll catch you around, I promise."**

** With his promise she fluttered, keeping the dim flame of passion alive in her heart, and she let him skulk off the property, expertly avoiding all the guards. She returned to her room, smitten from the visit from her life long crush, and she fell asleep smiling. **

** Dawn broke, which is followed by the morning traditions. Poppy and Toph went shopping for the day, Toph proudly displacing her new earrings. **

** "Dear, I'm going to get some vegetables. Toph, please try to stay out of trouble."**

** "I will mother."**

** Toph sensed her mother walk off, but another pair of feet approach her.**

** "Those are some pretty diamonds."**

** "Thank you, stranger."**

** "Maybe you don't understand me, I want them girlie." the man said pointing a finger at Toph.**

** Toph acted on instinct and bent her knees into an earth bending sense, her body filled with adrenaline as she raced towards a fight. Then she felt a giant column summon from the ground, spearing the man and sending him flying. Toph was shocked, she sensed for anyone else in the courtyard, and only sensed one boy.**

** "Hey! Who do you think you are?" she threw at the lone person.**

** "I'm called Rajah, and I have been searching for you Toph. You see, I'm the greatest earth bender in the world, not you."**

** "Fat chance! I'll take you on right now!" she exclaimed calling forth a boulder from the ****ground.**

** "So be it ... let the kings do battle in the spring."**

** Toph focused every part of her energy on Rajah, completely feeling all of his movements. She hurled the boulder at the boy. Before the boulder crossed half way between her and Rajah, the boulder was crushed. Stunned, Toph called another boulder of equal size of the first, and sent it at Rajah, but the fate met the new boulder. She felt his fist clench ever so slightly at the moment her boulder was crushed into pebbles, so as a good warrior she initiated a new point of attack. She called forth four columns, pillars of earth to come smashing at him from all four cardinal directions. She clapped her hands together to initiate the attack, and punched both fists together at Rajah completing the movements, and setting forth the pillars. In response, Toph felt Rajah stomp his foot jamming all four pillars straight into the air. He outstretched his fingers each finger summoning a slim disc from the pillars, and he clenched his fists to send them spinning at Toph. Toph shot up a wall, but Rajah counter bended her wall, pushing down the wall as he pushed his hands down across his chest as if he was taking a deep meditating breath. He forced her wall down as his discs came flew by and gashed against her body. **

** "I win." Rajah plainly said, and he walked off the battle field.**

** In all the fight lasted a mere ten seconds, with Toph preparing to bend the pillars taking up half of that time. **

** "We are not finished!" Toph shouted at Rajah in vain. **

** "If you really want to get better. I train at the Gobi Cliffs. You are welcome to accompany me, as long as you accept me as your master and teacher."**

** Toph as stubborn as an ass, politely declined with, "FUCK OFF! I'm never calling you my master!"**

** "The offer will always stand, I will wait for you at the Gobi Cliffs." Rajah said with calm and complacency.**

**[[[[[ END I ]]]]]**

** Dedicated to everyone special in our lives.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Someone Better:**

**Toph**

**[[[[[ II ]]]]]**

** _What an arrogant, little punk! Who does he think he is? I'll show him not to walk away from me!_**

**Toph's insides were boiling in anger, and in anger she forced up a spire of earth. The tip of the spire was sharp enough to cut you only by looking at it, and she drove the spire at Rajah. **

** Attacking from the behind in battle is extremely frowned upon, and even more is attacking your opponent after the fight has been declared over. Toph didn't care for the Warrior's Code at this point, she just wanted to pulverize Rajah into a pulp. Things were going well for Toph's sucker punch, until at the last moment he turned, side stepped the spire, circled his arms calling the spire to turn over, and he drove the spire back into the ground. **

** Toph stared at Rajah in disbelief. If she wasn't mistaken, she just witnessed a water bending move, from an earth bender. Rajah continued on his path, as Toph stood there, still processing what she saw from the young boy. **

** "Toph? Toph! You're cut!" Poppy interrupted and exclaimed in fright as she dropped the recently bought vegetables running to examine Toph's wounds.**

** Toph shrugged Poppy off, "Mom, I'm fine."**

** "Who did this to you?"**

** "Some little punk, who got REALLY lucky."**

** "An earth bender?"**

** "Yes, mom!" Toph complained.**

** "But, honey, you're the best. Aren't you?" Poppy sounded unsure.**

** "I still am! Okay! I'm going home." **

** "I want you to see Jain, he should be at the house."**

** "Mom! I know!" **

** "Must you have to yell at me all the time?"**

** Toph didn't answer her mother's question, she was too busy watching Rajah walk away and by now he was a black speck in the rising sun. On the walk home she was planning her revenge, multiple scenarios played through her head that were biased and ended with her being victorious. On reaching the front gate she faced more questions from the guards, but they were all shot down by Toph.**

** "Well Toph, they are all just minor cuts. Cover them up, and you'll be fine in a week."**

** "Thanks Jain, you how mom is." Toph said to Dr. Jain as she hopped off the examining chair.**

** "Poppy is doing her job, worrying for you." Jain chuckled.**

** "I know," Toph said, "but I'm eight-teen, I can take care of myself."**

** "Well, you have two options." Jain planned out, "One, you can leave, then Poppy can't worry about you, or two, don't get hurt anymore." **

** Toph giggled, "I don't think number two is an option, and who says I should leave?"**

** "No one said you should leave." Jain said and punched her in the arm, and Toph punched back leading to an impromptu arm-punching war.**

** "Ow! Okay! Uncle, uncle! You win Toph." Jain conceded in defeat after battling it out with Toph.**

** "Damn right I win. I hate losing." **

** That sentence brought Toph back to her 'loss' this morning against Rajah, inciting all of the emotion that accompanied that 'loss' to life. **

** "Toph? You okay?" Jain inquired, "How exactly did you get these cuts in the first place?"**

** "I lost to some punk kid!" Toph shouted at the wall, her furry blinding her vision.**

** Jain tried to comfort Toph, "You lost, everyone loses. No big deal." **

** "NO BIG DEAL! I'M PISSED! I'M THE BEST EVER!" Toph shouted, releasing some of her pent up anger in the process.**

** "Woah." Jain's demeanor took a quick turn to a much more serious tone, "I get it. You're pissed. Complaining won't fix anything, certainly not yelling. Like you said you're eight-teen, YOU deal with it."**

** Toph couldn't handle herself. From the stress from her loss, her anger at herself, disbelief, disappointment, how no one can understand her pain, her loneliness, so she released all of it, all at once. **

**[[]]**

**Poppy was finishing picking the groceries for the day, and started to walk back to the Bei Fong estate. Once she crested the hill, she made out what looked like smoke coming from the direction of her house. Secretly, she hoped it was the new neighbors as she disliked their late night parties. From the thought of the parties, she prayed that Toph never went to any of them, and from there she prayed even harder that Toph wasn't expecting. Her thoughts kept her busy, and soon she met the front gate of her residence, only to be welcomed into a state of chaos. Guards were shuffling residents, servants, and the injured out-of-the-way. Dust shielded half of her house from view. Debris was landing on the front lawn, the many fountains, and soon Poppy realized she was in a very dangerous situation.**

** "Mrs. Bei Fong!" a guard shouted as he ran towards her, "You are not safe here! Follow me!"**

** The guard put his arms over Poppy's head to shield her from the debris that fell from the sky. They fast walked, as Poppy's dress didn't allow full movement, to a field bunker that was earth bent on the courtyard. The bunker was makeshift, but it's sole purpose exceptionally well, keep the residents safe. Flanking the inside door way were guards that acted as relay men for the the guard captain who was trying to get the situation under control.**

** "Mrs. Bei Fong, you will be safe here." the guard said as he sat Poppy down.**

** "Lee? Where is my daughter, where is my Toph?"**

** "Mrs. Bei Fong, I'll find her." Lee said as he jogged out of the field bunker.**

** Poppy took the time to acquaint herself with the several servants inside the bunker, keeping an air of positivity in the bleak room. She saw another guard run in, deliver his message and run back into the courtyard. The receiver of the message, walked rather disdainfully towards Poppy, his eye's fixated on the ground to avoid eye contact. **

** "Mrs. Bei Fong … I have some bad news." the guard said taking off his cover.**

** By instinct she knew it was Toph, but she still hoped, "What is it Captain?"**

** "It's Toph," he said, and Poppy's heart sank, sorrow and guilt flowed in place of the blood in her veins. "we found her in the rubble, surprisingly not a scratch on her, but …"**

** "Say it, please, what happened to my Toph?"**

** "but, she's unconscious, she won't … wake up." the captain laid a hand on Poppy's shoulder to stead her ragged breathing, "Poppy, I'm sorry." he said not as a captain, but as a friend. **

** The guard captain lingered a while longer comforting the crying Poppy. **

** "She's awake! Captain, she's responding!" a messenger shouted from the door.**

** Poppy bolted up, crying for her child, shouting Toph's name as she ran into the courtyard. She ran after the messenger and he pointed her in the direction of where Toph was being treated. It was a small tent made out of green fabric that bore the Earth Kingdom insignia, and Poppy opened the flap to see her Toph standing up and being examined by the guard's medic. The medic called out different numbers, and Poppy assumed that the numbers were referring to Toph's health. **

** "Medic, is my daughter okay?"**

** "Yes ma'am, she'll be cleared in a few minutes." now turning his attention back to Toph, "Where does it hurt?"**

** "I'm fine." and Toph pushed the medic out-of-the-way, and approached Poppy, "Mother, I want to leave."**

** "Toph, I hardly doubt that this is the right time to discuss if you should leave. How did this happen?"**

** "How did what happen?" Toph asked back.**

** "You being unconscious, the house, all of this chaos! What happened?" Poppy urged.**

** "I can answer that." Jain said as he walked into the tent which was growing smaller and crowded as more people shuffled in, "You see, this morning Toph checked in to have her cuts examined. After talking for a bit, I asked her who gave her all of these cuts. She told me it was another earth bender, and that she hated losing. After consoling her, she yelled at me, and I gave her a reality check saying that she needs to take care of her own problems as she is eight-teen. Well, she didn't receive that to well, and she literally blew up half of the house. Luckily, she was smart enough to keep a sphere of protection to keep her body from harm, and I was close enough to her to be kept safe. She fainted after that, most likely from exhaustion, as she did blow up half of a mansion."**

** Poppy only looked at Toph, whose head hanged down in shame.**

** "I can see now why you want to leave." Poppy said to Toph, "You are a danger in this family, and I see this as the final straw. Jain is right, you are eight-teen, so I'm not legally responsible for you. You are going to leave by tomorrow morning." **

** Toph's only reply was a meek, "Yes ma'am."**

** Night came, and by dawn of the next day Toph left her house, not looking back. During the night, she planned out the she would go to Omashu and hopefully stay with Sokka there. She reached Omashu on foot by night fall, and went directly to Sokka's apartment. She approached his door, took a deep breath, and knocked.**

** "Toph? What are you doing here?"**

** "Sokka, I need a place to stay."**

** "Toph, umm, I don't know staying here would be the best idea."**

** "Sokka? Who is at the door?" a voice from inside the apartment called out.**

** "Oh, she's here. I understand." Toph callously replied.**

** "Toph, don't take it that way, please. Tell you what, I know how much you love sparring, so how about we meet up to spar in the early morning. How does that sound?"**

** "I can't wait to kick your sorry, pathetic ass. You slob!" **

** Sokka slammed the door in her face, as he wasn't a man who received harsh, constructive criticisms well. With Toph's plan failed, she found the nearest motel, and crashed for the night. **

** Early morning came, and Toph was waiting outside of Sokka's apartment complex, feeling, searching, yearning for any glimpse from the man. **

** "Gotcha." she muttered to herself as she felt him exit the complex.**

** Sokka was ready to met his end of the deal and get some sparring in against Toph. He has sword, boomerang, and of the matching attire. Out of the corner of his eye he spotted a boulder flying towards him at back-breaking speeds. He dived out of the line of fire, only to find his limbs tied down. Ho broke out of his binds and searched for his assailant. **

** "I'M RIGHT HERE YOU SLOB!" Toph shouted at Sokka, and creating a stand off between the two warriors. **

** Sokka and Toph stood across the street from each other. Toph summoned a boulder, but it was a folly and shot a column from under Sokka's feet causing him to dive out of the way, only to have her boulder sent at him. Sokka unsheathed his sword and slash the boulder in two, splitting the rock so it never hit him. He took out his boomerang, and tossed it at Toph. Toph was two rapped up in summoning a trio of boulders not to notice that Sokka had thrown his boomerang, and unfortunately, Toph was struck down by the boomerang. Police was quickly surrounding the two combatants and called for both Sokka and for Toph to stand down. Sokka quickly agreed, as he acted out in self-defense, but Toph proved to be a different story as she resisted arrest, but soon she came under enough man power and she crumbled and was arrested. **

** "Case number One-Oh-One, Toph Bei Fong versus The City of Omashu." the judge said, "Toph are you aware that you being cited for destruction of a city street, disturbing the peace, resisting arrest, and for attacking a citizen?" **

** "Yes, your honor." Toph replied.**

** "I see. You are on the Royal Council, correct?"**

** "Yes, your honor."**

** "Also you are a Bei Fong, why aren't you at your mansion?"**

** "Your honor! How is my client being at her house relevant to this case?" Toph's hotshot lawyer objected.**

** "It's relevant in that if she was there, WE wouldn't be here." the judge settled.**

** "I was kicked out of the house."**

** "Hmmm, well, I'm going to settle this now. Seeing as you, Toph, are broke, and cannot post bail. But your resume is simply outstanding, ending the war, teaching the Avatar, a Bei Fong, and on the Royal Council. I'll follow your mother's foot steps, and banish you from the city of Omashu, and Ba Sing Se whenever the Royal Council is not in session. You will be sent to where all exiles are sent, the Gobi Cliffs. You have one day to leave Omashu." and the judge swung the gavel making the sentence complete. **

** Toph's emotions were erratic at best. From sadness, to anger, and now to finally pissed off, she was glad that she was exiled. She never wanted to see Sokka, Poppy, or anyone else ever again, except Rajah. She still wanted her revenge, and she was going to the right place to extract it.**

**[[[[[ End II ]]]]]**

**Dedicated to everyone special in all of our lives. Ugh, more and more ugly fight scenes, I really have to work on those.**

**TO JadeTyga: Yes, I think anyone would be pissed off if someone were to do that. Hopefully I conveyed Toph's inner emotions (mainly her Pissed offiness) better in this chapter. Thank you for the encouragement!  
**


End file.
